


Traffic Light

by dinosaursmate



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Friends With Benefits, M/M, Niall is a slight jerk, Smut, Stop Light Party, Traffic Light Party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-07-30 06:03:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20092477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dinosaursmate/pseuds/dinosaursmate
Summary: “Hi!” a blonde girl with heavy eye make-up greeted, putting a hand on his stomach to halt him. “How’s it going?”“Um… yeah. Good.” Harry smiled politely before nodding. “Excuse me.”Harry turned sideways to squeeze past the girl. Maybe he shouldn’t have come here after all. What was the point of the cup system if people were going to come up and flirt with him, even though he wasn’t holding a green cup? Ridiculous.---Harry, a university student fresh out of a relationship, attends a Traffic Light Party. He knew all about the red, yellow and green cups, but the blue one confuses him. What does DTF mean, anyway?





	Traffic Light

**Author's Note:**

  * For [its_serendipity](https://archiveofourown.org/users/its_serendipity/gifts).

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEPH!!
> 
> Steph randomly came up with this prompt and I told her to send it to me in ask form so that I have it accessible when I decide to write it. Wellllll a year later, here it is haha. 
> 
> Thank you to Sus for betaing!

Harry had one post-relationship resolution, and that was to attend more parties. He was, after all, a university student and it was criminal that his relationship with Lee had kept him from making the most of the social life.

He received the Whatsapp invitation from Niall and, as nervous as he felt about it, he was determined to go to the party. Niall said something about a traffic light party - which Harry vaguely knew meant that you wear red, yellow, or green, depending on your relationship status - but with colour-coded cups instead of clothing. Which Harry was grateful for, considering he wasn’t even sure if he had anything presentable to wear in red, yellow,  _ or _ green, let alone finding something decent in his chosen colour.

As it happened, he had a very nice black satin shirt and he put that on, along with an old pair of skinny jeans, and headed to Niall’s on Friday night. For his entire walk across to Niall’s flat, he agonised over which cup to take. He wanted to have a good time at the party, but he also didn’t feel ready to be approached by anyone. Not like  _ that. _ Green and yellow would indicate that he wanted to be approached, but he also didn’t want to use a red cup and falsely claim that he was taken. 

By the time he arrived, he had worked himself up into a bit of a nervous wreck about it. He saw Niall immediately from across the room and gave him a wave. Too nervous to even hold a cup, Harry stood around for a few minutes before deciding it was insanely awkward to stand there without a drink. He headed to the kitchen.

To his confusion there were _ four _ stacks of cups, each a different colour, with a key at the bottom.

_ Red - Taken! _

_ Yellow - Try Me ;) _

_ Green - Single AF _

_ Blue - DTF _

Harry frowned. DTF? Was he supposed to know what that meant? And why wasn’t there one that meant  _ just leave me alone? _ He sighed loudly before shrugging and picking up a blue one. Since he didn’t fit into any of the other categories, he figured he might as well go with that one. Maybe it meant  _ Dying To Forget _ or  _ Don’t Try to Fuck.  _ Either way, Harry was sure that it couldn’t have been less accurate to his situation than any of the others.

He poured himself a tequila with orange juice in his blue cup and leaned against the cluttered kitchen counter. He had seen a few faces that he recognised, but no one he knew to approach and chat to. Not without looking like he was coming onto them, or anything. He decided he would search for Niall. 

“Hi!” a blonde girl with heavy eye make-up greeted, putting a hand on his stomach to halt him. “How’s it going?”

“Um… yeah. Good.” Harry smiled politely before nodding. “Excuse me.”

Harry turned sideways to squeeze past the girl. Maybe he shouldn’t have come here after all. What was the point of the cup system if people were going to come up and flirt with him, even though he wasn’t holding a green cup? Ridiculous. 

He reached the place Niall had been when he first walked in, but the Irishman was nowhere to be seen. Harry sighed, taking a sip of his drink before he noticed someone approaching him.

“Hi, babe.”

Harry looked up at the guy who was now standing in front of him. He looked vaguely familiar, but Harry couldn’t place him.

“Hiya.”

“Look, I’m not gonna beat around the bush. I live two doors down, you wanna come back with me? We can do shots, maybe off each other’s bodies-”

“Mate, listen, I’m not  _ up for anything,  _ alright?” Harry scoffed as the man took a step back in surprise. “Sorry, yeah? I just want to be left alone.”

“Oh…” the man said, frowning. Just as he opened his mouth to continue speaking, Harry walked away with a roll of his eyes.

He needed to find Niall.

It took him fifteen minutes, and in that time no less than five more people had approached him. It was wearing him down. He knew full well that he looked great in his skinny jeans, but that didn’t mean that he was fair game. He felt quite irritated and indignant about it, actually. When he finally found Niall, he recounted the whole ordeal to him. To Harry’s annoyance, Niall just stared at him in sheer amusement.

“You just keep fighting ‘em off, bud.” Niall slapped him on the shoulder. “Off you go. Go make some friends!”

“Niall, I-”

“Go on.” Niall threw his head back and laughed as he pushed Harry towards the crowd before turning on his heel and disappearing.

Dickhead. 

Harry sighed, before standing on his tiptoes to look around. Niall lived in a ground floor flat, and over the other side of the living room he could see a sliding door leading to a garden. He made his way over towards it, expertly dodging the looks and advances of at least three more people, until he stepped out into the relative sanctuary of the garden.

The evening was cool, and the breeze calmed Harry. To his relief, the garden was mostly full of people minding their own business: smokers, or people who have already paired off and were getting to know each other in the relatively quiet setting. Harry sat down on a low wall, taking what would probably be the penultimate sip of his drink. He wasn’t even sure he would want another.

Harry glanced around at the people in the garden to see if there was anybody he recognised. He spotted a girl from one of his classes, but she had her tongue so far down some dude’s throat that Harry didn’t dare go over to say hi. As he continued to look around, he spotted a man right at the other end of the garden.

He was mostly in shadow, the lights from Niall’s and the surrounding flats not quite reaching him. Harry could tell, though, that he was perfectly still, with his eyes tilted up to the sky. After a minute, Harry began to feel a little weirded out when the man remained unmoving. Was he dead? Was he in a trance? Was he alright? Was there inexplicably a mannequin in Niall’s garden?

Harry got to his feet and walked over. The man didn’t acknowledge him, and so Harry cleared his throat.

“Hi. Um, are you okay?”

The man finally saw Harry, startling as if he truly hadn’t seen or heard him approach.

“Oh…” the man said, shaking his head as he turned towards Harry. “Ah, look… I’m not looking for anything tonight.”

The man held up his clear cup of what looked like lager.

_ “Me neither!” _ Harry exclaimed before sighing loudly. “What’s  _ with _ people here? God. I’ve been propositioned probably once for every minute since I walked through the door. I guess you’ve been getting it too? Must not be enough people with green cups. Do you think people keep thinking my blue cup is a green cup? After all, it  _ is _ kinda dark inside.”

The man blinked. “Didn’t you read the key before you picked up a cup, lad? You’re holding a DTF cup.”

“Yeah, I didn’t really know what it meant. Do you know? Well,” Harry said, holding up three fingers to tick off his options. “I’m not taken, I don’t want people to  _ try me, _ and even though I’m definitely single AF, I absolutely don’t want people to approach me. So I thought I’d play it safe with whatever DTF means.”

Despite the less than welcoming start to their conversation - and the man’s melancholy when Harry first spotted him - the man was grinning happily and his eyes were dancing.

“I’m guessing you don’t come to a lot of parties.”

“No.” Harry frowned. “Is it that obvious?”

The man, still smiling, pulled his phone from his pocket and typed something. He turned the screen towards Harry. Urban Dictionary was on the screen, the definition of DTF filling it.

_ ‘Abbreviation for “down to fuck”.’ _

“No…” Harry frowned again, shaking his head.  _ “Nooo.” _

The man cackled, slipping his phone back into his pocket before clapping in amusement.

“Aw, mate. You’ve been giving the whole party the come on ever since you picked up that blue cup.”

Harry threw the cup to the ground and buried his face in his hands. No wonder Niall had been laughing at him. That fucker.

The man in front of Harry reached out to squeeze his arm comfortingly. 

“Don’t be embarrassed. I think it’s sweet.”

Harry dropped his hands from his face to glare at him, before sheepishly picking his cup back up from the ground. Well, it wasn’t the environment’s fault that Harry was a complete and utter clueless idiot.

“That’s me,” Harry replied miserably. “Full of that… naive charm.”

“I’m sure you’re not naive.”

Harry folded his arms. “Just… I’ve not long got out of a serious relationship. We’d been together since we were seventeen, so I never really ended up going to any uni parties. Do you think it’s too late?”

“No.” The man shook his head. “I’ve just got out of a relationship, too. Like, a day ago. We went to parties, just… he had fun and I didn’t. It’s a bit weird to be here on my own and be able to do whatever I want, to be honest. I shouldn’t even be here.”

“I’m glad you are,” Harry said. “I mean, my own friend didn’t even tell me that I was holding a cup that told anyone I came in contact with that I wanted to be fucked.”

The man snorted into his cup. “Who’s your friend?”

“Niall Horan?”

“Ah,” the man said, nodding with a smile. “Makes sense. I’m Louis, by the way.”

“Harry.” Harry stuck his hand out and the man took it and they shook. “I guess we’re the broken hearts club. Maybe that should be a cup colour next time.”

“I’ll suggest it to management.” Louis winked. “Look, stay here while I pop to the kitchen. What are you drinking?”

-

“Okay, okay.” Harry’s giggles died down before pausing for thought. “Let’s see. I have four nipples, I have a donkey as a pet back home, I had a speaking part in one of the Harry Potter films.”

“Hm.” Louis tapped his chin. “The nipple thing is too weird to make up. You would’ve said three. Um… hmm. Donkey or Harry Potter.”

Harry giggled to himself. “Which is it gonna be?”

“But the donkey thing is too weird to make up, too.” Louis frowned, before nodding decisively. “Yep. I think the Harry Potter thing is a lie.”

Harry paused, smiling at Louis before shaking his head slightly.

“The donkey is a lie.” He shrugged. “But it might be a  _ slight  _ exaggeration to say I had a speaking part in Harry Potter. I just yelled along with a crowd of people.”

“That’s cheating,” Louis scoffed, rolling his eyes as he took a swig of his drink anyway. “Anyway, come on. Show us your nipples.”

Harry hesitated, but the alcohol was coursing through his system and he felt slightly emboldened somehow. He grinned at Louis, before standing up and beginning to unbutton his shirt. Louis watched on in amusement.

“Right,” Harry said, pulling his shirt open and pointing to his regular nipples. “Here’s two.”

“Yes, I can see that.” Louis cocked an eyebrow. “And… the other two?”

Harry pointed to his two additional smaller nipples further down his torso. Louis stood up and walked over to peer at them.

“Sick,” he murmured. 

“They’re kind of my party trick.”

“So I see.” Louis straightened up and nodded. “You can show me the Harry Potter thing another time.”

Harry grinned as he began to button his shirt back up. “Alright. Okay, your turn.”

“I’m not interesting enough,” Louis said, shaking his head. 

“I absolutely refuse to believe that.”

“Fine.” Louis sighed and scratched his chin thoughtfully. “I have five cats. I have four sisters. I have auditioned for three boybands.”

“Wow, okay. Um…” Harry narrowed his eyes, regarding Louis. “Now. You do look like a cat person.”

“What the hell does  _ that _ mean?”

“Not sure. I reckon the sisters one is definitely true. But could I see you in a boyband? Not sure.”

Louis frowned slightly. “Why not?”

“No, just…” Harry shrugged. “I dunno. You seem like someone who lives by his own rules.”

“True. But, hey. I can be a team player.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Harry replied. He took another few seconds to think it over. “Okay. The cat thing is a lie.”

“What?” Louis cried, indignant. “How did you know?”

“Ah!” Harry said, pointing at Louis as he laughed. “I can read you.”

Louis let out a wail and took a big gulp of lager. Harry couldn’t help but smile. He couldn’t imagine being as light and cheery as Louis was the day after a breakup and, honestly, Harry didn’t even feel like he was there yet, nearly a month later. Maybe Louis was putting up a front.

“Should we go again?” Louis asked.

“I can’t think of any more,” Harry said with a pout. “And I probably shouldn’t continue to drink, anyway.”

“You know, I’m really glad I found a friend tonight.”

“Me too.” Harry smiled. “Who’d’ve thought?”

“Not me,” Louis murmured, looking down to the bottom of his cup before swigging the rest of it. “Right. I think I’m done here. Fancy a late night Maccy’s?”

-

The night was stiller than it was earlier, and the temperature mild. Louis pulled his sleeves over his hands regardless, and Harry folded his arms as they walked towards the town centre.

“Whereabouts do you live?” Louis asked him.

“The other side of the high street. Right by the library.”

Louis pulled a  _ yikes _ face. “Oh.”

“I know,” Harry said, smiling slightly. “It’s pretty awful. But it means, at least, that I’m not broke all the time, not like Niall.”

“Yeah, can’t be cheap living  _ anywhere _ big enough to actually have a party while you’re in uni.” Louis shrugged. “I’m lucky. I live in the new build over on Gunner street?”

“Weren’t they all taken before they’d even been built?”

Louis shrugged again. “My stepdad works for the company.”

Harry threw him a look. “Wow. You  _ were _ lucky.”

They approached McDonald’s, and Harry sighed in relief that it was open, because neither of them had been entirely sure it would be. They headed inside and Harry went straight to the self-service machine to order his food.

“What do I want?” Louis mused. “What  _ do _ I want?”

Louis was still pondering when Harry’s machine spat out his receipt.

“Want me to pick for you?” Harry giggled behind him. 

“No. Where are the bloody nuggets?”

Harry sighed and tutted. He reached around Louis to scroll through the menu options. “There.”

“Oh. Thanks.”

Harry’s number was soon called, and he picked up his food and scanned the restaurant for the best seats. Near the door was never good. Even if it wasn’t cold, the draught and the banging were irritating. Normally he would sit in the very back of the restaurant, but there was a group of extremely loud girls taking up three tables, and Harry wouldn’t appreciate the noise. On the other side of the restaurant, he spotted squishy bench seats with chairs on the other side of the tables. 

He walked over, dropped his brown paper bag down and slid onto the bench seat. From here, he could watch Louis, who had ordered something and was waiting at the counter, receipt clutched in his hand, eyes constantly flicking between the number on his receipt and the screen above, showing the status of each order.

When Louis finally walked over, he smiled at Harry as he placed his food on the table and pulled out the chair opposite Harry.

“No,” Harry told him. “Come sit next to me so we can watch people.”

“You don’t wanna look at me, huh?”

“Something like that.”

Louis giggled softly as he plopped down next to Harry, jostling him slightly.

“What did you settle on?” Harry asked.

Louis grinned, sticking his hand inside his bag and pulling out a box of twenty nuggets.

“I had to.”

Harry shrugged in agreement as he pulled his own Big Mac out of his bag, followed by his fries. 

“So, you know Niall?” Harry asked Louis.

“A bit. I think he’s a bit of a dick, to be honest.” Louis smiled stiffly. “Sorry. I know he’s your mate.”

“Why do you think that?”

“You  _ told _ me you’re mates.”

“No.” Harry frowned and shook his head. “I mean, why do you think he’s a dick?”

“Oh, I dunno. As I said, I don’t know him very well. But I didn’t really like the way he left you out there with that DTF cup. That shit’s not funny. You felt harassed. He opened you up to that feeling. Not cool.”

“Oh…” Harry waved a dismissive hand. “It’s not like that.”

“It might not have been his intention,” Louis said as he opened a selection of sauce pots for his nuggets, “but those were the consequences of his actions.”

“Hm.”

Louis paused and turned to smile at Harry. “Just make sure you let him know, okay? Friends should be honest with each other, and friends shouldn’t put friends in uncomfortable situations.”

Harry nodded as he took his first bite of his Big Mac. Niall was a bit of a clown, a happy-go-lucky cheeky lad who Harry rarely saw become serious. But maybe Louis was right. Harry had just seen it as a laddy trick that Niall had played on him, but it was true, he felt majorly uncomfortable with being so brazenly approached.

Harry felt a strange feeling in his gut. Louis was nice. He cared about people. Harry wanted him as his friend.

“In my sixth form, a boy stuck a chicken nugget up his bum,” Louis said casually.

And the moment was shattered. “What?!”

“I know,” Louis responded. “It was a dare. I call it a waste of a nugget.”

“Did it…” Harry frowned and placed his burger down in its box. “It didn’t go…  _ in. _ Surely?”

“He  _ said _ he got it, like, half way in.”

“Was it hot?”

Louis smirked. “Like, sexy?”

“You know that’s not what I mean!” Harry laughed, roughly knocking his thigh into Louis’.

“Nah, I think it had got to room temperature by then.”

Harry grinned, picking his burger back up. “Was that boy  _ you, _ Louis?”

“Are you crazy?” Louis scoffed and shook his head quickly. “Wouldn’t catch me doing that.”

“Why not?” Harry looked at Louis’ fingers, the way they were clutching a nugget. “Don’t like things up your bum?”

“Harry!” Louis scoffed in surprise, laughing a little bit. “That’s a very rude question to ask somebody you just met.”

“I disagree.”

“Fuck’s sake,” Louis murmured with a slight laugh. 

“Can I ask you something?” 

Louis’ amused expression settled into something polite and curious. “Sure.”

Harry frowned, shaking his head, trying to work out how to phrase his question.

“Um… you said you split up with someone yesterday, right?” 

“Mm.”

“I just wondered… you seem so… okay.”

“Oh. Alcohol and denial will do wonders for you, Harry.”

“That makes me sad.”

Louis shook his head. “Well, don’t bring me to that place, please. Let’s talk about… your hair. Do you curl it with a wand, or…”

“You’re an idiot.” Harry grinned down at his burger. “I’m growing it out, but I think of chopping it off at least once a day.”

“Don’t you dare!” Louis squeaked, reaching out and tugging on Harry’s shoulder length curls. “Your hair is  _ gorgeous.” _

“Thank you!” Harry said, appreciating the reassurance. “I even booked an appointment to get it chopped, but I chickened out.”

“Let me guess.” Louis leaned his arm on the back of the bench, his fingers lightly grazing Harry’s near shoulder. “You were feeling kind of stale and you had the urge to make a radical change.”

Harry shrugged, knocking into Louis’ hand. “Something like that.”

“Classic post break up reaction. Acting out after a relationship has ended.”

“Yeah?” Harry turned his body towards Louis. “Have you acted out yet? Done anything to shake off your cobwebs?”

Louis blinked at him. “Nah.”

“Will you?”

Louis turned his head, and Harry was startled by how close their faces were.

“Not sure. Probably.” Louis looked down Harry’s body and then up again, and Harry could tell that he was clearly trying to be subtle. “Maybe I should have taken a green cup tonight. Let out some tension with a one night stand.”

“If you’re not ready, you’re not ready.”

“Maybe I am.” He stared at Harry for a few seconds before picking up a nugget. “I’ve never been the kind of person to have random sex with random people, though.”

Harry surprised himself by feeling a niggle of disappointment.

“I mean…” Louis took a bite of his nugget. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had one night stands. But I’ve never, like, found a guy in a club and fucked him before even finding out his name, you know?”

Harry found himself sliding away from Louis slightly. He had a sneaky feeling he was beginning to sweat.

“Uh… me neither,” Harry replied. “Although I- I’ve never had a one night stand, full stop.”

“Never?” Louis asked in awe. “Wow.”

“Maybe that’s what I should do. Instead of cutting my hair.”

Louis smiled, chuckling ever so slightly. “I kind of feel like we’re on the same page here.”

Harry remembered when he and Lee first got together. They had been dancing around each other for weeks. Flirting and making suggestive comments, never quite saying what they wanted or what they really meant. In the spirit of acting out and making radical changes…

“We, um…” Harry paused to laugh. “We both came out tonight decidedly looking for  _ nothing.” _

“We both found a friend.”

Harry’s eyebrow twitched upwards. Had he misread what Louis was saying?

“Back to yours?” Louis continued, and Harry sighed in relief. He hadn’t misread him. “My place is nice, but it’s like a zoo. I live with four people.”

“I only live with one.”

“Perfect.”

They both paused for a second, blinking at each other, before Louis moved in. When they kissed, there were no fireworks, no blood rushing south, no passion. It was sweet and comfortable, and Harry knew that sleeping together would be nice. Maybe not mind blowing, but extremely nice.

They walked back to Harry’s, arms linked and conversation flowing easily. Harry felt kind of naughty. As strange as that was, it was so uncharacteristic of him to take someone home with him this soon after a break up. He wasn’t over Lee, wouldn’t pretend he was, but maybe Louis was just the thing he needed to help shove him in the right direction.

“I live just above that internet cafe. See?”

Louis frowned. “An internet cafe? I didn’t even know those still existed.”

“They do, like, laptop and phone repairs, too.” Harry shrugged. “Dunno. I used it once when my WiFi was down and I’d run out of data.”

Louis hummed in acknowledgment as they approached the internet cafe and Harry shoved his key in the lock of the little green door next to it. He pushed the door open and ushered Louis in, double locking the door behind him.

“I get scared to linger too much in the street, especially at night.”

Louis chuckled to himself as Harry led him up the stairs to the flat. It was only now that Harry thought to feel a little self conscious about the flat. It was small and Liam, his flatmate, may well have been at home, on the sofa in his underwear. Or gone to bed and left Doritos bags everywhere. 

Harry breathed a sigh of relief to see that Liam had left the living room relatively tidy and was presumably in bed. Once the door was closed and they stopped moving, he could hear a rumbling sound coming from the hallway. Yup, Liam was fast asleep and snoring like a foghorn.

“Um…” Harry toed his boots off. “Do you want anything to drink, or… eat…”

“Twenty nuggets is my limit, lad.”

“You know… I only counted nineteen. Reckon you’ve kept one to shove up your bum.”

“That’s enough of that,” Louis said, smirking and pointing at Harry. He took a step closer to him. “I should never have told you. You’re never gonna let it go.”

“Nope,” Harry replied, taking a step closer, too.

“Right, well.” Louis smiled, seeming a bit awkward. “I suppose we should just. Get on with it.”

Harry suddenly felt a strange sort of tension. He wanted this, and he really did feel like Louis did as well, but Harry felt an odd reluctance. He was out of his comfort zone, and he felt like Louis was too.

Letting out a laugh - this was stupid - Harry took yet another step forward and grabbed hold of Louis’ face. He kissed him tentatively, and Louis kissed back. 

“Shall we go to your room?” Louis asked as he pulled away.

“Yeah, yes. We should.”

Harry grabbed Louis’ hand and dragged him down the hallway quickly. He stopped abruptly by Liam’s room to close his door, which was ajar. There was no bigger turn off than hearing someone snoring in the next room, and not only that, he would be mortified if he and Louis woke Liam up.

He wasn’t sure if Louis was going to be loud or not.

They finally made it into Harry’s bedroom. Harry felt better, now, in the sanctuary of his own space. Louis looked around the room, seeming like he was playing for time.

“Louis?” Harry said softly. “Are you sure you’re ready? That you’re up for this?”

Louis turned to him. “I’m just a bit nervous. Isn’t that mad?”

“I am too,” Harry admitted, before chewing his bottom lip. “Um… you’re very attractive.”

“Your hair is sexy.”

“Your eyes are stunning.”

Louis took a step closer.  _ “Your  _ eyes are… stunning.”

Harry laughed, somewhat cut off by Louis’ lips pressing against his. As pleasant as the whole thing was, Harry didn’t completely feel in a sexy mood. He took a step back to lean against the door, which seemed to please Louis somewhat, pressing against Harry and kissed him a little more fervently. 

Might as well just bite the bullet. Harry slid his hands under Louis’ t-shirt and pulled it up before Louis broke away to allow him to remove it completely. Trying not to lose momentum, Harry’s hands went to the fly of Louis’ jeans. He yanked them down and glanced between their bodies.

“Ooh,” he remarked. “Nice.”

Louis took a step backwards and slowly turned in a circle to show himself off. Harry suddenly felt a lot more interested. Louis had a great body, tanned and toned torso with an alluringly ample package and  _ that arse. _ How did Harry miss it up until now?

“Say something nice to me,” Harry blurted out as he began to undo his shirt. “Something kind.”

Louis smirked and moved closer again. “You deserve happiness.”

Harry raised his eyebrows as he continued to unbutton. “Yeah?”

“You deserve to be treated in the lovely way you treat others.”

Harry dropped his shirt to the floor, wrapped his fingers around the back of Louis’ neck and pulled him close. 

“Say more,” Harry murmured, lips almost touching Louis’.

“You deserve to be fucked, hard and fast, until you can’t take anymore.”

Harry stilled. “What?” he breathed out. “Fucking hell, Louis.”

“Sorry,” Louis whispered. “Got carried away. Um… you’re the most fun and interesting person I’ve met in ages.”

“Really?”

“Take your jeans off,” Louis replied.

Harry quickly obliged, fumbling slightly as he unbuttoned his jeans and pushed them down, wrestling them off of his ankles. He dropped down to the bed, shuffling backwards up towards the pillow. 

It all happened very quickly after that. Louis crawled onto the bed and kissed Harry, who grabbed his hips and pulled him closer. Their bodies were pressed together, and Harry was pleased - and relieved - to feel that Louis was hard.

“Is what I said okay, Harry?” Louis asked, moving back to sit on his heels as he pulled his own boxers off, followed by Harry’s. Louis’ dick was thick and hard, and Harry couldn’t take his eyes off of it. “For me to, um, _ fuck you?” _

Harry reckoned that Louis wasn’t used to using that kind of language, which made him smile.

_ “Fuck _ me, Louis. Please.”

“Lube.”

“Oh.” 

Harry had a quick fumble under his head and found his bottle of lube under his pillow. It was kind of embarrassing, but he had left it there last night after pathetically wanking over memories of Lee, tears mingling with his come. 

“Hope this isn’t expensive,” Louis remarked, drizzling a generous amount of lube onto his fingers. “I like it wet.”

“God,” Harry moaned. 

“Do you?” Louis asked, pausing. “If you don’t, then-”

“Do it as wet as you want, baby.”

Louis stared at Harry, his eyes far darker than a few minutes ago. It sent a shiver through Harry.

“I’m gonna prep you now, so, like… let me know… how it’s going.”

“I will,” Harry said with a giggle. “Get on with it!”

Louis huffed slightly as he positioned himself between Harry’s legs. Harry hooked his hands under his own knees and pulled them close to his chest.

“This okay?”

Louis frowned, tilting his head slightly before grabbing a pillow.

“Lift.”

Harry dropped his legs and lifted his hips, and Louis slotted the pillow underneath him. 

“Better.”

It probably wasn’t the time for such sappy stuff, but Harry admired how pleasant Louis was to look at. He had worn his hair in a quiff to the party but it had deflated, his hair instead flopping onto his forehead in a sweeping fringe. Something about his face was just captivating, and Harry wouldn’t mind admiring it throughout the entire duration of what they were about to do.

Louis pressed a fingertip to Harry’s rim, which made him jump slightly.

“Sorry,” Louis said with a slight laugh.

“Carry on,” Harry prompted.

Louis didn’t try anything clever or fancy, and Harry felt as though he was used to doing this, how he started off slow and gentle before pressing a little firmer, circling Harry’s rim before pushing just the tip of his finger inside. Watching for discomfort on Harry’s face, he slowly pushed in further, until he was in up to his second knuckle. He pulled out slowly before pushing back in, just as slow, but firmly.

“Louis…”

“It is okay?”

“It’s great. But I’m ready for a second.”

“Already?” Louis asked, sounding slightly in awe.

“I really like the stretch. Besides, I open like a flower.”

Louis just blinked at him for a second. “Oh.”

He withdrew his finger, before pushing his two middle ones back into Harry. Harry let out a loud groan, feeling that stretch that he desired. Fingering, for him, was just a necessary part of sex. Nothing more, nothing less. The stretch, the burn, that was the only part of it he truly enjoyed. Lee, of course, had learnt how to crook his fingers just so to make Harry’s knees buckle, but overall, he wasn’t a fan, and so a mere minute after Louis had been moving two fingers inside of him, he let out a low growl.

“Enough. I’m ready.”

“Are- are you sure?”

“Yup,” Harry said decisively.

“Fuck,” Louis muttered. “You’re gonna be so tight.”

Louis pulled his fingers out slowly and Harry gestured that he could just wipe them on his duvet cover, before flipping over to locate condoms in his side drawer, only now second-guessing that he even had any. He nearly cheered when his fingers felt that familiar foil packet, and he pulled out the rogue condom, shining the outer seam in the light to just double check the expiry date.

“Thank fuck,” Harry said when he realised that it was still in date by mere weeks. Louis unceremoniously snatched it off of him and tore open the corner, before rolling it down his shaft.

“You’re still sure, yeah?” Louis asked as he pushed off of his heels and began to line himself up. “About being ready? Emotionally and physically?”

“I need to blow off steam.”

Louis smirked, but softly. “Well, I feel used.”

“Well, it’s mutual. We discussed it, remember?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Louis nudged his tip against Harry’s hole before grabbing the lube to add some more. “Here’s to getting over our exes by getting under each other.”

“That’s not-  _ hngh…” _ Harry was interrupted by Louis pushing the tip of his cock in. “Not physically possible for us to be under each other at the same time. Unless we constantly roll around on an indefinite basis.”

“I’m  _ this _ close to just going home,” Louis remarked as he pushed in a little further, before hooking his arms under Harry’s knees and lifting them. “That would shut you up.”

“Never.”

Louis bottomed out and Harry felt very filled, which felt sort of daunting and sort of wonderful, and the almost-painful stretch felt delicious. He had a practical stranger buried balls deep in his arse, and the frankness of that thought sent a thrill through his body. The thrill only increased as Louis slid out slowly, before slamming back into him.

“Fuck!” Harry cried out.

Louis moved, a bit clumsy at first but he soon found a rhythm which Harry did his best to match. It wasn’t easy, what with Louis holding his legs, so Harry lifted them and wrapped them around Louis’ hips. 

“How do you feel so good?” Louis huffed, sweat beginning to dampen his forehead. “Shit.”

“I try,” Harry replied weakly. 

Louis’ lips were stretched wide, brow furrowed as he concentrated on the task at hand. Harry would never have guessed when he set off for that party that he would have had sex tonight. If he had, he would have assumed it would be with Lee. Harry felt a pang of… guilt? Maybe that wasn’t it. He was glad it wasn’t Lee buried inside of him.

“Lou… can I call you Lou?”

“Yeah,” Louis breathed out as he continued to thrust in and out of Harry.

“Can we flip over?” 

Louis ground to a halt. “You wanna ride me?”

“If you want to.”

Louis scoffed, holding the base of the condom and quickly pulling out. Harry winced, and Louis laid on his back and looked up in delight as Harry straddled him.

“That’s better,” Harry said, grinning as he reached behind him to hold Louis’ cock steady and lined himself up. “I can see you. You’re gorgeous, you know.”

“So are you.” Louis placed his hands on Harry’s thighs, spreading his fingers and digging them into his flesh slightly. “I’m happy to sit here and let you do all the work, if that’s what you want.”

“Lazy arse,” Harry commented as he pushed himself down onto Louis’ cock. Harry had adjusted to Louis so he didn’t feel any stretch, but it felt good anyway, so, so good. He watched Louis carefully as he rocked back and forth experimentally, pleased when Louis’ eyes closed and his lips twitched. 

He wasn’t sure why, but Harry had the need to prove something to Louis. Maybe he just wanted to impress him, reassure him that it was worth coming home with him. It was so soon for Louis. It had been one day since his relationship ended. Harry would make it worth the while.

Harry leaned forward slightly and pushed his arse back, and when Louis moaned out his appreciation, he continued to wind his hips back, increasing speed while Louis’s fingertips were digging so hard into Harry’s thighs, Harry was sure he would have ten little bruises tomorrow morning.

It felt unreal, if Harry was honest. The slide of Louis’ cock easily moving in and out of him, the painful pressure on his thighs, the wild look in Louis’ eyes. He willed his eyes not to flutter closed, wanting to keep his eyes on that wonderful face as it scrunched and relaxed and twitched as Harry picked up speed until he was practically bouncing on Louis’ cock, pleasure coursing through him at a mile a minute, almost painful in its intensity. Harry no longer felt self conscious or worried about waking up Liam, letting himself let out a loud whine with every bounce. Louis was just staring up at him, wide eyed and quiet, lifting his hips minutely to meet Harry.

Louis muttered  _ shit _ and finally released his grip on Harry’s thigh with his right hand. He wrapped his fingers around Harry’s stiff cock, where it was flopping obscenely with every one of Harry’s bounces. 

_ “Fuck,” _ Harry cried out. “I’ll come, Louis.”

“Come,” Louis simply said, but he released his grip on Harry’s cock in favour of grabbing the bottle of lube and pouring some into his palm, before wrapping it back around Harry. “Come for me.”

Harry let out a groan as he leaned backwards, placing his palms into the bed and grinding down on Louis’ cock. The deliciousness of the new angle took him by surprise, and his hips twitched strangely before he let out a loud grunt and then he was coming, spurting on Louis’ fist and lower stomach. He felt his hole clench and twitch around Louis’ cock, and Louis’ eyes turning glassy as his hips thrust up into Harry the best they could.

“Is… is this okay?” Louis panted out. “Or too sensitive?”

“Keep going,” Harry croaked pathetically. 

“I’m close,” Louis replied. “Promise.”

Harry gritted his teeth and bounced with as much fervour as he had before. 

“Oh shit,” Louis yelled, loudly, his hands flying to grip Harry’s hips while his own bucked up with amazing strength.  _ “Fuck, _ you’re amazing!”

Harry couldn’t help but beam at that, and he pressed his hands on top of Louis’ were they were gripping his hips - more bruises, Harry mused - and finally let his eyes close as he focused on the too-sensitive, almost unbearable burn he was feeling from Louis’ cock. It probably wasn’t the time to tell Louis that he loved being over stimulated like this.

He felt Louis begin to tremble beneath him and he  _ felt _ Louis’ cock pulsing inside of him as he came with a loud yell - Liam had to have woken up - before falling so limp he looked like he was going to absorb into the mattress.

Harry leaned down to pepper kisses over Louis’ sweaty, satiated face before moving down to his shimmering collarbones. Louis had just about caught his breath and he sighed, sounding thoroughly satisfied.

“Harry,” he croaked as Harry shifted forward. “The condom.”

“Oh, shit.” 

Harry reached behind himself to hold the condom in place as he carefully pulled himself off of Louis. He pulled the condom off, tied it, and waddled over to his desk and tossed it into the bin underneath it. He returned to the bed and laid down next to Louis, head on his chest.

“Wow. That was great.”

“You don’t need to sound so surprised,” Louis replied with a slight indignant laugh. “Did you really think I’d be that shit in bed?”

“Of course not,” Harry said quickly. “I thought it would be  _ nice. _ A bit of fun to blow off steam.”

Louis hummed as he stroked a fingertip over Harry’s upper arm. It was sweet, yet unfamiliar, which gave Harry a wicked feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“Ten out of ten, can’t fault the experience,” Louis mused. “Um… if the mood ever takes you… I’d like to do it again.”

“Now?” Harry joked.

“Oh, stop,” Louis said with a soft giggle. “Only if you want to.”

“Just don’t leave without giving me your number.” Harry kissed Louis right next to his nipple, which made him shiver. “I’d love to see you again. Um, for sex.”

Louis snorted. “Yes. I don’t think I’m ready to date yet, you know, since me and Chops just broke up a day ago.”

_ “Chops?” _ Harry asked.

“It’s a nickname, obviously. It’s a long story.” Louis patted Harry’s arm reassuringly. “Anyway, I do like you, can we be friends?”

Harry lifted his head to smile at Louis. He hesitated, before leaning up to kiss him.

“Absolutely.”

-

“It was a shitty thing to do.”

“I’m sorry!”

Harry folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at Niall. “My heart was hurting and you put me on a platter.”

“I didn’t think of it that way.” Niall clutched his chest. To be fair, he wore a genuine frown and did look sorry. “I should have thought about it. I’m so sorry.”

“Okay,” Harry relented.

“Did you just go home, then? Have an early night?”

Harry paused, staring at Niall before blinking.

_ “Fine, _ look, I took someone home.”

“What?!” Niall laughed in surprise. “Who?”

Harry turned his head as he heard a bright, gravelly laugh coming from over by the main building. Louis was chatting away to some blonde girl, sweeping a soft fringe out of his eyes as he talked animatedly. Harry smiled to himself. 

How soon was too soon for a repeat performance? Harry had thought that his  _ arrangement _ with Louis meant that whenever he felt stressed or just horny that he could call him up and they could help each other out. He didn’t think it meant that every time he saw Louis, he would want to run over and jump on him, drag him somewhere and touch him the way he  _ didn’t _ touch any of his other friends. 

“You don’t know him,” Harry finally replied to Niall before his legs took him by surprise by striding off in the direction of Louis.

Louis spotted him, said something to the girl, and turned to face Harry with a smirk on his face.

“Well. Hello.”

“You free tonight?”

Louis folded his arms. “I might be.”

“I need, um, a benefit. From my friend.”

“Right.” Louis let out a light laugh. “I’ll come over about eight?”

Harry sighed in relief. “Yes. Thank you.”

“Don’t  _ thank _ me.” Louis smiled. “See you then.”

“See you then. Um… I’d better head off. Got a lecture.”

Harry turned around and began to walk away, smiling to himself. 

“Hey.”

Harry stopped and looked over his shoulder at Louis.

“So I guess you really  _ were _ DTF, huh?”

Harry threw him an unimpressed look.

“Just bring the chicken nuggets tonight, yeah?”

Louis let out a noise that sounded like a mix between a laugh and a shriek.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this, pls [reblog the fic post!](https://dinosaursmate.tumblr.com/post/187071648481/traffic-light-by-dinosaursmate-words-7120) <3


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